“According to a global survey, three out of four of the happiest people groups in the world are not rich consumers. Using a scale where 7 marks the maximum of happiness, Forbes magazine’s richest Americans came in second (5.8), tied with the Pennsylvania Amish. Close behind them (5.7) were the Masai of East Africa, a tribe without electricity or running water who live in huts made of dung. Happiest of all – ahead of America’s richest – were the Inuits of Greenland (5.9).

The old adage that it is better to give than to receive is more than just biblical wisdom or a mother’s chasten to her child — science is proving it to be the key to a healthier, happier, even longer, life. A flurry of research is showing that giving has a whole range of health benefits, including fewer aches and pains, better mental health, lower stress levels and improved protection against illness.And if one study has it right, the best gift you can give this Christmas is yourself. Benevolence, it found, can be better than not smoking or exercising four times a week if it is long life you seek.Stephen Post, an American bioethicist examining the growing body of evidence linking altruism to improved health, says people have always understood giving has benefits. But no one has quite figured out exactly why that is.All this research suggests that a climate of warm, cohesive community and its attendant values are more important than material comfort or other external factors (like climate – in view of the Inuits!) in producing happiness.

When asked what one thing makes them most happy, 20 percent mentioned spending time with family — more than anything else. About three-quarters — 73 percent — said their relationship with their parents makes them happy. After family, it was relationships with friends that people mentioned most.[…]

“They’re my foundation,” says Kristiana St. John, 17, a high-school student from Queens in New York. “My mom tells me that even if I do something stupid, she’s still going to love me no matter what. Just knowing that makes me feel very happy and blessed.”

Did someone say polls? :) So, what do you think =’s happiness? Which of the above perspectives resonates with you most or do they all resonate?